Monday, June 11, 2007

Macquarie University offers PhD scholarship in Comparative Legal History

This is a nice opportunity, but the focus of an applicant's scholarship must be quite specific: comparative legal history of 19th century property relations in Australia and Canada. If this fits your interests, act quickly: the deadline is June 30.

A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Centre for Comparative Law, History and Governanceat Macquarie University, for a PhD project that will compare aspects of the legal history of property relations in Australia and Canada in the nineteenth century. The colonial Australian and nineteenth century Canadian jurisdictions were both similar yet different jurisdictions existing in broadly similar yet distinctively different settler societies. The resolution of property disputes in colonial settler societies was complicated by the competing jurisdictions of common law and equity. The project is a study of comparative legal history. The focus of the project will be a detailed comparison of law and property relations in Canada and Australia.

The Centre for Comparative Law, History and Governance is an official University Research Centre at Macquarie University. It contains specialists in law, history and politics, as well as a cluster of leading legal history scholars.

MQRES Scholarships are available to Australian and international students. Applicants should have completed an Australian four-year undergraduate degree in Law with first class honours, or demonstrate equivalent research qualifications (such as a Masters course with substantial research component) from an Australian or overseas University. A background in legal history is desirable.

MQRES scholarships pay a stipend, currently $A19,616 per annum, tax exempt (2007). The tenure of the scholarship is 3.5 years full time, subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fees will be funded for the scholarship tenure. Eligible domestic students will receive Research Training Scheme (RTS) placement for their tuition. International award holders will have their full tuition fee and Overseas Health Care costs paid under the award.

To obtain further information regarding this project applicants are encouraged to contact Associate Professor Andrew Buck, co-director of the Centre for Comparative Law, History and Governance, email: Andrew.Buck@law.mq.edu.au

Application forms and conditions of award are available from the Higher Degree Research Office, email: hdrschol@vc.mq.edu.au, telephone: (02) 9850 7987.